“I was having some doubts about this year. I was so scared that no one was going to take it seriously,” said Maggie Farag, who along with her fellow students at Marist High School, came away with seven awards, breaking a record set by Marist students last year in the annual Model U. N. event at St. Peter’s University. “I was so surprised when I found out that we broke the record,” Farag said, “but I feel like everyone who won an award really did deserve it.”

Marist won seven awards, breaking the record of six set in 2012. The school has participated since 2006. Junior Maggie Farag and senior Jeremy Virga won first place for Outstanding Delegate. Matt Cabrera, Brian Mukhaya, and Ricardo Pereira won second place for Honorable Mention Delegate. Marlon Ramtahal and Jeremy Virga won for outstanding position paper.

The competition took place on March 13 and 14. Dozens of schools from across northern and central New Jersey participated. Each represented a different country and took part in a simulation of the United Nations at work. Each day began with rigorous debates on issues ranging from humanitarian intervention to the European debt crisis.

Marist students displayed their excellence in rhetoric and eloquence while remembering to follow the exact U.N. guidelines.

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“It was a total team effort.” -- Jeremy Virga

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In the St. Peter’s University Model U.N. competition, student delegates prepare articles reflecting their chosen nation’s position on one of several significant international topics and then attend as a representative of that nation on various committees. This program, which mimics the United Nations in structure and procedure, aims at addressing real problems. It gives students the opportunity to demonstrate their understanding of complex foreign-policy issues and to try to negotiate agreements with representatives of other nations. “Breaking our overall school record for awards, that is beyond words,” said Jeremy Virga. “It was a total team effort. Everyone came together for our best showing ever, and being able to be a part of and witness it will be something I will take with me forever.”